The Council shall adopt an ordinance creating not less than five separate bodies to be known as Area Planning Commissions. The ordinance shall establish the boundaries of the area to be served by each Area Planning Commission, which shall be drawn so that all areas of the City are served by an Area Planning Commission. Each Area Planning Commission shall consist of five members. Members shall be appointed and removed in the same manner as members of the City Planning Commission, except that residency in the area served by the Area Planning Commission shall be a qualification for appointment. Except as provided in subsection (d), Area Planning Commissions are quasi-judicial agencies.
Each Area Planning Commission, with respect to matters concerning property located in the area served by the Area Planning Commission, shall have and exercise the power to:
(a) hear and determine appeals where it is alleged there is error or abuse of discretion in any order, requirement, decision, interpretation or other determination made by a Zoning Administrator;
(b) hear and make determinations on any matter normally under the jurisdiction of a Zoning Administrator when that matter has been transferred to the jurisdiction of the Area Planning Commission because the Zoning Administrator has failed to act within the time limits prescribed by ordinance;
(c) hear and determine applications for, or appeals related to, conditional use permits and other similar quasi-judicial approvals, in accordance with procedures prescribed by ordinance;
(d) make recommendations with respect to zone changes or similar matters referred to it from the City Planning Commission pursuant to Section 562; and
(e) hear and determine other matters delegated to it by ordinance.